How life has changed in Portsmouth

Portsmouth's population increased by about 18,400 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 200,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Portsmouth increased by 9.8%, from just under 187,000 to 205,000.

The addition of about 18,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Portsmouth was home to, on average, 36 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the South East's most densely-populated unitary authority.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Portsmouth

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Portsmouth decreased by one year, from 35 to 34 years.

This area had a lower average age than the South East and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of almost 9,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 3,000.

About 19.0% of people in Portsmouth are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Portsmouth by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Portsmouth

Portsmouth saw the South East's largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (43.5%) people aged 16 and over in Portsmouth said they were single, compared with 36.4% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 42.3% to 37.2%.

Across the region, Canterbury saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 31.6% in 2001 to 38.6% in 2011).

During this period, Portsmouth overtook Reading to become the South East local authority area with the fourth-highest percentage of single people.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More students

The percentage of Portsmouth residents that were studying increased from 4.2% to 6.1% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (51.0%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 53.8% in 2001. The percentage of Portsmouth residents that were unemployed increased from 3.1% to 4.3%.

The proportion of students increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Portsmouth increased by 1.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Portsmouth, the South East and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

Portsmouth saw the South East's third-largest rise in the proportion of privately rented homes.

In 2011, just under one in four (24.7%) households in Portsmouth rented privately, compared with 14.7% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes remained close to 18.3%.

Across the region, only Slough (from 10.7% to 24.3%) and Reading (from 15.2% to 26.1%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of privately rented homes.

Every local authority area across the South East saw a rise in the proportion of privately rented homes, as the regional average grew from 10.2% to 16.5%.

Private renting in Portsmouth increased by 10 percentage points

Percentage of households in Portsmouth, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Portsmouth

The percentage of Portsmouth residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.7% to 3.1% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 5.4%, while the percentage of Portsmouth residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 91.6%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

Portsmouth saw the South East's third-largest rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Portsmouth said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.2% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 12.2% to 9.0%.

Across the region, only Canterbury (from 2.8% to 4.6%) and Southampton (from 2.5% to 4.2%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

Every local authority area across the South East saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 2.1% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Portsmouth increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Portsmouth, the South East and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Portsmouth residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.8% to 2.0% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.8%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 1.7% in 2001 to 2.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Portsmouth remained close to 2.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Portsmouth by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Portsmouth

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Portsmouth was among those who said they had no religion, rising 16.0 points.

In 2011, 37.8% of respondents in Portsmouth gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 21.8% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.9% to 30.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Portsmouth, 56.3% said they were Christian, compared with 74.2% in 2001. About 3.8% said they were Muslim, compared with 2.3% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Hindu increased from 0.5% to 0.7%.

In Portsmouth, 7.2% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 8.3% in 2001. Across the South East, 7.4% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Portsmouth increased by 16 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South East and Portsmouth by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Portsmouth residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.7% to 5.1% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82.5%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67.9% in 2001. While the percentage of Portsmouth residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23.5% to 12.4%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Portsmouth decreased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Portsmouth, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Portsmouth

In 2011, 6.1% of Portsmouth residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 3.3% in 2001. The 2.8 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the South East, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.6% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 88.4% of people in Portsmouth said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 94.7% in 2001. About 2.7% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.0% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.5% to 1.8%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Portsmouth increased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Portsmouth by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Portsmouth, which comprised one person, decreased from 32.9% to 32.1% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in nine (11.1%) households had an unmarried couple, compared with 9.7% in 2001. The percentage of households in Portsmouth which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 30.2% to 27.2%.

The proportion of one-person households fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (which remained close to 29.0%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 30.3%.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Portsmouth with children increased from 28.2% to 28.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 6 in 10 (63.3%) households had no children, compared with 64.0% in 2001. The percentage of households in Portsmouth with only adult children living with their parents increased from 7.8% to 8.0%.

The proportion of households with children increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (which remained close to 29.2%). Across England, the percentage increased from 29.5% to 29.2%.

The proportion of households with children was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

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